Professional Development

Program Reviews

The College reviews programs every five to seven years, in accordance with the guidelines that the College has established in collaboration with the Faculty Council. These guidelines have been designed with academic departments in mind and may be modified for reviews of programs and centers. Each academic department and programs with course offerings are subject to review.

The program review affords each department an opportunity to reflect upon where it is and where it should be going to produce the most effective program possible. The department also presents itself to a broader community at the College and beyond, as part of the review process.

The central question guiding program review should be whether the department is fulfilling its goals (as they continue to evolve), in the context of the goals of the College. As important, the department review process provides the department with the opportunity to address any areas needing improvement and support. The main purpose of this process is to arrive at strategies for strengthening the overall operations of departments.

The program review is a three-phase process:

Program Self Study

External Review

Response to the review by the academic department or program, the Curriculum Committee, and the Provost

Specific guidelines for conducting the review are available from the Office of the Provost.

Academic Leave

A faculty member may request a leave of absence without pay in order to pursue activities that will enhance the ability of the faculty member to perform more effectively. Full-time faculty members who have been teaching for at least three consecutive years are eligible. Such a leave of absence will not count towards the six-year probationary period for a non-tenured faculty member. The request for leave may be granted by the President after consultation with the Provost, who will have consulted with the Department Chair or Program Director.

The leave may not exceed one academic year, except in exceptional circumstances. At the end of the leave period the faculty member must supply documented evidence of having engaged in educational pursuits to the Provost and the Department Chair or Program Director. A leave request must be submitted at least one semester prior to the anticipated leave date.

Academic leaves will be granted only after the College is confident that the absence will not have an adverse effect upon the Department, Program, or College. A faculty member who does not return to the College after an academic leave may be terminated. The act of termination will be at the discretion of the President.